GCU's Samantha Murphy earns first PacWest weekly honor

Samantha Murphy earns first PacWest weekly award of 2009-10

PHOENIX, AZ - Grand Canyon junior guard Samantha Murphy (Phoenix, AZ/Xavier Prep) has been named the first Pacific West Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week for 2009-10.

The honor was announced by the PacWest Media Office in Phoenix, AZ, on Sunday, Nov. 29, for games contested Nov. 15-22.

Murphy led the Antelopes to a 1-1 start by averaging 26.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per contest to start the year. She ranked first in scoring in the conference during the opening week of action and stood third in rebounding.

Murphy also climbed into the top 10 in the league in field goal percentage (52.9), assists per game (3.5), and steals per contest (2.5). She tied for eighth in steal average, tied for third in doling out assists per game, and was ninth in shooting after making 18 of 34 shots from the field.

PacWest Women's Basketball Report #1 (PDF)

PacWest Women's Basketball Weekly Top 10 Honor Roll

Shelly Clermenco - Dominican (CA) (Sr., 5-10, F/C, San Rafael, CA/San Rafael)...averaged 10.0 points and 4.5 rebounds per game over two contests for the Penguins...ranked 11th in scoring in the PacWest for the week...led the league in shooting with a 66.7% shooting rate...made 10 of 15 field goal attempts.

Alisha Flaaten - Dominican (CA) (Sr., 5-6, G, Hayward, CA/Moreau Catholic)...ranked third in scoring average in the PacWest during the opening week after averaging 16.0 points per game over two contests...ranked sixth in shooting (55.0%) after making 11 of 20 shots from the field...tied for ninth in assist average (2.5)...led PacWest in steals per game (4.0)...ranked second in three-point shooting (54.5%) after draining 6 of 11 from beyond the arc...tied for league lead in steals per contest (4.0).

Ashley Hardin - Grand Canyon (Sr., 5-10, F, Chandler, AZ/Marcos de Niza)...averaged 7.0 rebounds and 7.5 points per game in two contests for the Antelopes during the first week of the season...tied for fourth in rebounding average...tied for third in assists per game (3.5)...tied for the league lead in free throw shooting for the week (6 for 6)...ranked fifth in assist/turnover ratio (1.2) for the week.

Kirsty Imai - Hawai‘i Hilo (Fr., 5-4, G, Hilo, HI/Waiakea)...averaged 14.5 points per game over four contests to tie for fifth in the PacWest during the first week of the season...also averaged 2.3 assists per contest.

Hina Kimitete (left) - Hawai‘i Hilo (Sr., 5-3, G, Kailua-Kona, HI/Konawaena)...averaged 13.5 points per game over four contests to rank seventh in scoring for the week in the PacWest...averaged 3.0 steals per contest to tie for fifth in the league...tied for fourth in three-pointers made per contest (1.5).

Jessica Nolan - Academy of Art (Jr., 5-11, F, Adelaide, Australia/Hallet Cove)...posted a double-double in 75-48 win over William Jessup...posted 12 rebounds and 13 points in her 2009-10 debut...shot 50% (4 for 8) from the field to rank 10th in the conference for the week...recorded five assists, four steals and was perfect from the foul line (5 for 5)...ranked fourth in assist/turnover ratio for the week (1.7).

Verity Peets - Academy of Art (Jr., 6-0, F, Stockport, England/Stockport)...scored 20 points in the Urban Knights' lone game of the week - a 75-48 win over William Jessup...ranked fifth in shooting for the week (58.3%) after making 7 of 12 field goal attempts...finished off victory with a double-double after grabbing 11 rebounds.

Veronica Siqueiros - Dixie State (Jr., 5-5, G, Phoenix, AZ//Trevor G. Brown)...tied for fifth in the PacWest in points per game for the week (14.5)...also averaged 2.0 assists per game...tied for the league lead in three-pointers made per contest (3.0)...connected on 6 of 15 three-point attempts for a 40.0% shooting rate from beyond the arc...ranked fourth in three-point shooting for the week.

Tiffany Wilson (right) - Hawai‘i Pacific (Sr., 5-9, G, Long Beach, CA/Mayfair)...scored 16 points and collected six rebounds in season-opening loss vs. Colorado School of Mines on Nov. 21...was perfect from the foul line (6 for 6).

Laura Zasly - Notre Dame de Namur (Jr., 5-9, G, Foster City, CA/Aragon)...averaged 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds per game during team's first four contests of 2009-10...ranked 10th in scoring and tied for seventh in rebounding for the week in the PacWest...also averaged 2.3 assists and 3.5 steals per game...ranked fourth in steals per contest...tied for sixth in three-pointers made per game (1.0).